US pledges support for One village; One dam policy

Accra, March 14, GNA – The United States, Tuesday, pledged to assist the implementation of Ghana’s ’One village- One dam policy towards the achievement of food security and national prosperity.

Mr Robert P. Jackson, the US Ambassador to Ghana, who announced this, said his country would also assist in the implementation of effective sanitation policies to salvage the sanitation sector. The Ambassador had paid a courtesy call on Mr Joseph Kofi Adda, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, to deliberate how the country could transform the water and sanitation sectors. Mr Jackson said the assistance would be through both the public and private sector engagements; based on global partnership. The US Ambassador said protecting water supply was a priority area for the United States and that the US Embassy had commenced some work with the Environmental Protection Agency in that direction. He explained that the problem with the water situation in the country was not with the processing of water but rather the transportation of the water from the source to the end users. “We really would want to work with you on that challenge”.Mr Kofi Adda expressed appreciation for the US Ambassador’s call on his Ministry, which he said, was poised to battle the global challenge of sanitation and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially goal 6. SDG goal 6 urges countries to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. “We want to ensure that the Goal 6 of the SDGs is achieved,” he said, adding that the country had trailed behind as a nation on the issue of sanitation. The Minister said; “With our vision of ensuring strong and efficient organisations, we will need your expertise to carry out policies outlined to grow and improve on the issue of good sanitation and safe water.” The Minister said underlying all the factors to the success of the water and sanitation issues were the resources needed from Public Private Partnerships, investors and development partners. He said there was the greater need for capacity building to boost the expertise of the personnel at the

Ministry to ensure adequate efficiency and the effectiveness of the current policies as well as future ones. Mr Adda said his Ministry was also working on a policy of “one house, one toilet” to increase the

access to toilet facilities and reduce open defecation to the minimum. He said an inter-ministerial body had been set up to address the issue of galamsey, which had brought many repercussions, especially, water pollution. The body include representatives of the Ministries of Water Resources and Sanitation, Lands and Natural Resources, and Information. He said; “We have to collaborate to get these matters arrested in the urban areas as soon as possible.”